A wide variety of warning devices is available in the marketplace for use on bicycles and tricycles. These include conventional bicycle bells and air horns with rubber bulbs. Also known are battery powered buzzers which attach to the handlebars in much the same way as a conventional bicycle bell, and which have a button on the casing of the buzzer which, when pressed, causes an appropriate noise to be emitted from the casing.
Existing warning devices protrude out substantially from the frame of the bicycle, are not well protected from the elements or from knocks, and detract from the clean lines of the machine.
An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a sound emitting device which may be used as a warning device which overcomes the abovementioned difficulties on a tubular framed transport means such as a bicycle.
The use of skateboards, rollerskates and rollerblades is increasing and these are increasingly involved in collisions with pedestrians. Such collisions often cause significant injury particularly to elderly pedestrians. The riders of these sporting and personal transport means tend to be young, fit and resilient to such impacts, so often travel at speeds where they can find that a warning device is important to avoid a collision.
In many places it is mandatory to have a warning device fitted to a bicycle and it would be desirable to have such warning devices available for skateboards, rollerblades and the like, perhaps even making the fitment of such warning devices compulsory in areas subject to normal pedestrian traffic.
An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a sound emitting device which may be used as a warning device and which can be incorporated into the body of rollerskate or rollerblade footwear, or into the body of a skateboard, and which may be easily actuated by the rider, provides adequate audible warning of their approach, and is built into said body in such a way that it is substantially protected from physical damage in the often very rough treatment accorded to skateboards, rollerblades and the like.
Users of personal transport means such as bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades and the like often wish to personalise their equipment. An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a means by which owners of such personal transport means can personalise such equipment by incorporating a sound emitting device which produces a musical tune or other preset sound or sounds chosen by the user. Such sounds may function as an alarm or warning device or as merely a means of identification, greeting or of self expression.